I'm Home

Thursday, July 31st 2008 - Carter and I were released from the St. Francis today!! Carter looks SO tiny in his car seat!! Brad and I swaddled him as soon as we got home and let him try out his new swing! He really seems to like it! Now that we are home, Brad and I are trying to figure out what we are to do now!!

The stork has left the building!!

On Monday, July 28th at 7:42pm, Carter Thomas Stahley came into this world weighing 7lbs 8.2ozs and was 19" long!! We are SO excited to have him in our lives!! Doctors say he is doing great!! In Brad and my opinion, he is absolutely perfect!! He has his dad's hair (brown with natural curls), long eyelashes, dad's chin, and mom's nose. His eyes??? They are blue for the time being (matching mom's), but they might turn brown to match his dads!! Raleigh, THANK YOU so much for the welcome diaper wreath - everyone knows where to find us!! All the nurses and doctors have told us they absolutely love the idea!! Thank you EVERYONE for your love and support!! We are truly blessed!

We're at the Hospital again, but this time....WE'RE STAYING!!

Shannon's water broke at 1:38am this (Monday) morning. After speaking to the doctor and packing a few last minute items, we checked into our hospital room at 3am. Shannon and Carter are hooked up to all kinds of things.... Shannon's blood pressure it still high (since her doctor's appointment on Tuesday), so the nurses and doctors are keeping a close eye on the both of them. Things are starting to happen!!! It's baby time!!

38 Weeks

Had my doctor's appointment with Dr. Booth this morning. My blood pressure was a little high so they ran some tests to make sure I do not have preeclampsia, but other than that, Carter and I are doing great! Dr. Booth stripped the membranes today in an attempt to encourage active labor (as of this morning, I am still dilated to 2 centimeters) and his heart rate is around 125 beats per minute. My next doctor's appointment is scheduled for Friday, August 1st - unless something happens between now and then!!

37 Weeks

Brad and I met with Dr. Booth this morning - he was SO kind, he sat up on the counter in the examining room and allowed Brad and I to fire all kinds of questions off at him. After answering all our questions, he performed a cervical exam on me and determined that I am now 90-95% effaced and dilated to 1-to-2 centimeters. He said he does not think Carter will arrive this week, but said he has been wrong in the past! According to Booth, I am simply experiencing training-pains preparing me for the big-day at this time. My next appointment is scheduled for Tuesday morning (July 22nd at 8:50am). Dr. Booth said at that appointment, if things have not progressed substantially on their own, he is going to strip my membranes to encourage labor (a natural way to encourage contraction intensity and thus dilation). Stay tuned - will the full moon this Thursday and Friday impact Carter's arrival? Or will Dr. Booth's procedure on Tuesday do the trick?

More Contractions and Labor Symptoms...

So it is Sunday morning and Brad and I have been monitoring my contractions (pain level, frequency, duration) and taking note of "other" labor symptoms all weekend, but still no Carter! Although I experienced a few contractions that were more intense (but not strong enough to stop me in my tracks) on Saturday, things are pretty much the same as they were on Friday. Brad and I have a scheduled doctor's appointment tomorrow morning (Monday, July 14th) with Dr. Booth at 10:30am - it will be nice to hear if his take on things and see if I have progressed at all since Friday's exam.

False Alarm

So Brad and I had a practice run this past Friday (July 11th). After speaking with my doctor's nurse (about my symptoms) at 11:30am, Brad and I were strongly encouraged to head to the hospital to have an outpatient exam performed to assess if I was on the cusp of active labor. Brad and I rushed home from work, loaded our bags into my car and headed to McDonalds (no - not the hospital yet!!) - it was 12:45pm and neither one of us had had an official lunch. Nothing like a strawberry milkshake and a box of chicken nuggets to get you ready for a potentially long day at the hospital!! Once checked into the hospital we were escorted into a pre-labor room and I was strapped to two monitors - one to monitor Carter's heart beat and another to monitor the frequency and intensity of my contractions. After 2 1/2 hours and two cervical exams, Brad and I were released from the hospital. According to the nurse, I was having contractions every 3 to 7 minutes but the intensity was not progressing nor was my cervix (dilation), so they released us so I could "labor" in a more comfortable environment.

So what did Brad and I do with the rest of our Friday? We took a nap, went to Sam's Club, ate at Buffalo Wild Wings, went to Walmart and came home to clean the house, mow the grass and walk Murphy - anything to keep our minds busy and see if my contractions progressed any further. Needless to say - nothing progressed. Shortly after 10pm on Friday my contractions had diminished and I was left with a sore tummy and an anxious/disappointed husband - but a clean house and a freshly-cut yard!!

Bags Are Packed...

Boppy-pillow, extra blanket, yoga ball, pillow, camera, video camera, sweatshirt for dad-to-be, etc. is all packed and ready for the big-day! Carter even has his own little bag with a few comfortable onesies, socks, hats, blankets and his womb-bear (a stuffed-bear that simulates the sound of a mother's womb and heart beat). Brad even put the rear-facing car-seat in my car. We are anxiously standing by!!

36 Weeks...Only A Few More To Go....

Brad went with me to the doctor's appointment this morning (today was my first exam and Brad knew I was a little nervous!!). Together we got to meet Dr. Booth. He was very energetic and incredibly nice - it did not take Brad and I long to decide to ask Dr. Booth to be our doctor for the remainder of the pregnancy (however there is no guarantee that he will deliver Carter - that depends on who is on call that day/night). My tummy is now measuring 36, almost 37, centimeters and Carter's heart beat is around 132 - it will continue to slow until birth (it has typically been 138). According to Dr. Booth, I am 80% effaced and starting to dilate - SO it could be sooner than August 4th folks!! According to smartmomma.com, at 36 weeks Carter and I are considered "full-term". The only organ that still needs some time to mature is the lungs, but his immune system is up-and-running and could protect him should he be born prior to his due date! My next appointment is Monday, July 14th.

35 Weeks

I am now going to the doctor's office once a week. Today I met Doctor Lupton (thank you Amy Sloan for the recommendation) - he was very nice. According to Lupton's nurse, I gain 1lb since last week's appointment (I am now up to 22 lbs total weight gain) - this is great news! Carter is plumping-up for his upcoming birthday! Lupton did the typical - measured my stomach (which now measures 33 centimeters) and listened to Carter's heart beat. He confirmed that Carter is still head-down and showed me how he thinks Carter is laying - he described where he believes his back, butt and legs are (with the assistance of my recollection of where I am seeing/feeling large bulges and constant kicks/punches)! Next week I am to meet Dr. Booth - I have been informed he is very ethusiatic and caring!

Baby Month (June) Is Complete

In the month of June, we had several baby showers (thank you everyone for your generosity and support) and completed our Childbirth Education class, Newborn Care class and Breastfeeding class - it was a busy month! Now it is time to relax before Mr. Carter arrives.